Image Matching Server Network Implementing a Score Between a Server and an Image Store

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the corresponding score of each corresponding server is determined as a function of latency between the corresponding server and an image store from which the corresponding server is to obtain the source image.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first image feeding server has a first latency with the image store and a second latency with the image processing system, the first latency being lower than the second latency.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the image processing system has a first latency with the first image feeding server and a second latency with the image store, the first latency being lower than the second latency.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first image feeding server has a first score that satisfies a selection criterion.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate image has a resolution less than that of the source image.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate image is a file format different from that of the source image.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate image has a fewer number of colors than in the source image.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate image is a compressed file whereas the source image is not a compressed file.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the corresponding score of each corresponding server is determined as a function of latency between the corresponding server and an image store from which the corresponding server is to obtain the source image.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the corresponding score is indicative of an amount of computing resources consumed by the corresponding server in performing the downsizing task.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the corresponding score of each corresponding server is determined as an average of a load of the corresponding server and latency of the server.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein a load of the corresponding server is determined as a function of a number of tasks being performed by the corresponding server and a file size of the source image on which the downsizing task is to be performed by the corresponding server.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the first image feeding server has a first score that satisfies a selection criterion, and wherein the first score is indicative of a first amount of computing resources consumed by the first image feeding server in performing the downsizing task, the first amount of computing resources being a least amount of computing resources to be consumed among the plurality of image feeding servers in performing the downsizing task.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the corresponding score of each corresponding server is determined as a function of latency between the corresponding server and an image store from which the corresponding server is to obtain the source image.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the image processing system has a first latency with the first image feeding server and a second latency with the image store, the first latency being lower than the second latency.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first image feeding server has a first score that satisfies a selection criterion.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first image feeding server is selected based on a corresponding score of a corresponding server of the plurality of servers that is determined as a function of latency between the corresponding server and an image store from which the corresponding server is to obtain the source image.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the first image feeding server has a first score that satisfies a selection criterion.